Methylation: More Than MTHFR and Methylfolate
Methylation: It’s More Than Just Methylfolate:
Methylated B9 (methylfolate) is often seen as the “go-to” supplement for supporting energy, mood, detoxification and methylation pathways.
But in clinical practice, jumping straight to high-dose methylfolate does not always work well for everyone.
Why? Because methylation is a TEAM process — not just a folate process.
Think of methylation like a busy highway 🚗🚗🚗. If everything is well supplied and moving smoothly, traffic flows. But if there is a bottleneck somewhere along the way, simply adding more traffic isn’t necessarily going to solve the problem!
For methylation to work effectively, the body relies on a number of nutrients including:
• B12
• B6
• B3
• Folate
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Choline
• Adequate protein and amino acids
This is one reason I like to consider blood testing alongside nutrigenomic testing when supporting methylation.
Blood testing can help identify whether there are nutritional or biochemical foundations that need attention — such as B12, folate, iron, vitamin D, thyroid markers or other relevant nutrients.
Nutrigenomic testing (DNA) can provide additional information about genetic variations involved in pathways such as methylation, neurotransmitter metabolism and detoxification. Variations in genes such as MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, COMT and MAO-A may provide useful context around how an individual processes and responds to certain nutrients and biochemical demands.
This doesn't mean that a genetic variant determines your health outcome — rather, it can be one piece of the puzzle when considered alongside symptoms, diet, lifestyle and blood results.
For some people, particularly those with variations affecting neurotransmitter metabolism, introducing large amounts of methylated nutrients too quickly may feel uncomfortable — sometimes described as feeling wired, anxious, irritable, headachy, restless or simply “not right.”
Rather than assuming “more methylfolate must be better,” it is better to consider what is actually limiting the pathway? Where is the bottleneck? And what does THIS person's biochemistry ACTUALLY need?
5 foods to support methylation
Rather than focusing solely on supplements, food provides many of the nutrients involved in methylation:
1. Eggs 🥚 – rich in choline, which supports methyl-group metabolism.
2. Liver – one of the richest food sources of folate, B12 and other B vitamins. (A small amount can go a long way.)
3. Leafy green vegetables 🥬 – provide natural folate, magnesium and other supportive nutrients.
4. Legumes 🫘 – beans, lentils and chickpeas provide folate, magnesium and protein.
5. Salmon & other oily fish 🐟 – provide B12, B6, protein and omega-3 fats to support overall metabolic health.
So this is your gentle reminder, that methylation is TOTAL BIOCHEMISTRY — NOT JUST A FOLATE PROCESS. And the answer isn't adding more methylfolate.
Sometimes it's identifying the bottleneck first.
Individual needs vary, and nutritional supplements should be personalised rather than based on genetics alone.
Make sure to reach out to make an appointment!
